Basil m



(No Model.)

B. M. WI'LKERSON. TELEPHONE HANDLE 0E HOLDEE.

Patented June 6,1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BASIL M. WVILKERSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SHIPLEY BRASHEARS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

TELEPHONE HANDLE OR HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 498,869, dated June 6, 1893. Application filed April 14, 1891. Serial No. 388,881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BAsIL M. 'WILKERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone Handles or Holders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention is in the nature of a handle for the ear pieces, or receivers of telephones and has for its object to provide an attachment whereby the receiver maybe supported at the ear of the operator, while receiving messages without the necessity of raising the hand in which it is held up to about the level of the ear, as is now necessary, and thus prevent the tiring and cramping of the muscles of the arm, so prevalent when long messages are being received, or when the receiver is necessarily held to the ear for a considerable period, as when awaiting theanswer to a call, &c.

With these objects in view my invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and afterward specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:-Figure 1 is a View of a telephone receiver or earpiece being held to the ear by the hand through the medium of myimproved holder applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of my'improved holder applied to a telephone receiver in position for use. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a telephone box with the receiver hanging in the hook thereof and having my holder attached thereto. Fig. 4 is a sectional View through the ear piece at m with the holder applied thereto and showing also a shoulder rest attached to the holder. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the fastening ring before being applied to the holder. Fig. 6 is a detail View showing the upper end of the handle. Fig. 7 is a detail View showing the securing bolt and nut.

Like letters of reference mark the same parts wherever they occur in the various figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by letters, A is the ear piece or receiver, andB a handle, connected thereto by a bar 0, the handle 13 and bar 0 forming the holder.

D is a metal band encircling the receiver A, near its outer end, and provided with flanges or ears E, E, between which the bar 0 is pivoted by means of a pin, rivet, or bolt F. The bar 0 is bent at G at about a right angle, the angle arm c passing between the ears E. There is a band H. of rubber, leather, or similar material placed around the receiver, under the metal band D, to prevent abrasion thereof and to give a tighter hold thereon. By placing the band D near the ear end of the receiver I leave a greater weight on the inner side thereof so that when the handle is grasped, and the receiver raised to the ear, the parts will assume, by gravitation, a position at substantially rightangles to each other, as in Figs. 1 and 2, this being the proper position for holding the receiver to the ear. The bend in the bar 0 serves as a stop in this position and a bumper of leather or similar material maybe used if desired, to prevent injury to the receiver. When the receiver is hung up on the hook, the holder will, by gravity, fall to the position shown in Fig. 3, lying in a line parallel to the receiver and out of the way. The bend then-serves to permit the holder to lie at the outside of the wide end of the receiver as shown.

It may sometimes be desirable to providea shoulder rest to receive and support the weight of the receiver on the shoulder. ThisI illustrate in Fig. 4: in which a swinging arm K with a head or ball is is secured to the handle so that it will swing, by gravity, out into the proper position to rest on the shoulder whether the receiver is placed to the right, or the left ear.

Fig. 5 shows the band as stamped out of sheet metal and open ready to bend around the receiver until its ears E E are brought almost together leaving room forbarC Fig.6.

The advantages of my invention will be evident from the description and illustration. When it is desired to receive a message the ICC operator will-grasp the handle 13,,and, through its medium, carry the receiver up to the ear. While this is being done the arrangement of the weight of the receiver will cause it to take the relative position shown in Figs. 1

and 2 and when it is against the ear, the handle will be in such a position that the hand in which it is supported will lie against the body, without elevating the arm from the body and this position may be retained for any reasonable length of time without fatigue, and without any restraint of motion of the body, the operator being permitted to turn around, talk with persons present, or ask questions, while waiting for his message without in any way obstructing the functions of the receiver. The receiver can be held in the left hand'to either ear thereby leaving the right hand free to write a message. This is especially important to persons deaf in the left ear. When through talking the receiver is'h'ung up in the usual way on the hook of the phone and the parts hang as shown in Fig. 3. No alteration whatever of the receiver is necessary in'applying my invention, which can be applied or removed in a very short space of time, by the simple insertion, or re-' moval of a screw. When desired, the shoulder rest may be applied, as before stated.

Should it be desired the handle B and bar O-may be made of a single'piece, or instead Having thus fully described my invention,

whatl claimas new, and desire to secure by Let-tersPatent of the United States, is

1. A handle for a telephone receiver consisting of a hand piece mounted loosely on a pivot placed at substantially a right angle to the length of the receiver, whereby the handle will hang substantially parallel to the receiver when not in use, said hand piece being provided with a stop, whereby the receiveris prevented from falling beyond a position at substantially a right angle to the handle when in use, as set'forth.

2. A handle for a telephone receiver consisting of a hand piece having its upper end bent, forming a short arm at substantially right angles to the main body thereof and attached to the receiver by a pivot passing through the end of said short arm asset forth.

3. A handle for a telephone recei'ver'consisting of a clamp en-gagingthe receiver and having projecting ears or flanges, and a hand piece having its upper end bent,to form a short arm at substantially right angles to the main body thereof and attached to the'ears or flanges of the clamp by a pivot passing through said ears or flanges and the end of said short arm, as set forth.

4. A handle for the receiver of a telephone consisting of a hand piece, a fastening device fors'ecuring it to the receiver, and a self-adjusting right-and'left shoulder rest, as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BASIL M. W'ILK'ERSO N.

Witnesses:

'SHIPLEY BRASHEARS,

S. BRASHEARS, Jr. 

